Ambon, November 3, 2000
THE SITUATION IN AMBON / MOLUCCAS - Report no. 87
- BURNING OF A VAN - On November 1, on its way from Ambon town to
the village of Lateri, a distance of about 8 km, a refuse collector van
with 33 year old Julius Diponegoro at the wheel, when passing the muslim
neighbourhood of Batumerah, was thrown at with stones by a group of
muslims, badly wounding the driver. However, Yonif 141 soldiers could
free Julius and his two companions, but they could not prevent the van
being burned by the mass. A source quoted by Siwalima newspaper,
reports that previously the driver had hit somebody with his car.
- ATTACK ON SULI - On November 2, the village of Suli in the eastern part
of the island of Ambon, east of Passo, was attacked for the fourth time.
Earlier attacks took place on September 25, September 28 and October
10. This time it was a minor attack on this christian village and could be
stopped by security forces in half an hour time.
- CONFISCATION OF WEAPONRY, DRUGS AND ALCOHOLICS - Regular
sweeping is carried out by security forces on all incoming ships. On the
cargo/passengers ship Iramuar, arriving yesterday from Tual
(S.E.Moluccas), was found: 325 bullets, 30 ounces of drugs and 1500
liters of alcoholics (locally fabricated so-called sopi).
- The situation in the Kei Islands, part of the Kabupaten (sub-province) of
the S.E.Moluccas, is more and more conducive, after violent
confrontation between muslims and christians in April last year. In Tual,
the capital of this Kabupaten, the chairman of the muslim Nahdatul Ulama
(NU) group, Haji Yahya Tamher, expressed his feelings of relief,
witnessing and experiencing the renewed traditional brotherhood
disregarding religion. He also underlined that christians and muslims
should join forces to forestall any intrusion of Jihad troops in the area.
Thus Yahya Tamher stated to Siwalima newspaper reporters on the
occasion of some official reception in Tual.
- During the last few weeks postal service in Ambon both incoming and
outgoing mail has virtually come to a stand-still. It is not clear for what
reason, since airplanes and ships are coming and going almost daily.
Anyway, what is turning up now, at last, are letters from somewhere in
1999.
Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
C.J.Böhm MSc
Secretary
 Received via email from : Crisis Centre Diocese of Amboina
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